PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

82 || O.W.L Results

"No... no... no!" Katerina Blair yelled dramatically. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"Checkmate!" Ron Weasley grinned — his stupid, smug grin that made Katie want to punch him squarely in the jaw.

"How do you always win?" Katie cried, upturning the chessboard after losing to Ron for the sixth time consecutively.

Ron leaned back in his seat and stretched, a complacent look still plastered on his heavily freckled face. "Years of practice."

"Whatever, Weasley," Katie huffed. "I'll get you next time."

There was a gentle knock on the bedroom door and it swumg open, revealing the warm smiling face of Molly Weasley.

"Katie, dear," she began softly, "your brother is just about to leave.

Katie felt her heart sink but managed to paint a convincing smile on her face. "Oh — oh, yeah... I'll be down now."

Mrs Weasley's smile widened slightly but then she rounded on Ron, surveyed him quickly, and her smile melted into a scowl. "Fix your shirt." she reprimanded before shutting the door. Only when her retreating footsteps had died away did Ron begin to complain.

"Fix my shirt?" he grumbled indignantly. "There's nothing wrong with my shirt. What does she — are you OK?"

For Ron had just spotted the despondent expression that Katie was displaying. Upon realising that he had noticed, she snappily shook her head and placed the same false smile on her face as before.

"Yes," she said in a strangely high-pitched tone. Ron quirked an eyebrow in suspicion and she let out a heavy sigh. "No," she admitted finally. "I just... Is it selfish for me not to want him to stay?"

"No, no, of course not," Ron said hastily, leaving his seat. "I mean, you both lost your brother after all, you get each other. Of course you want him around."

Katie nodded in agreement but kept her eyes firmly fixed on the chessboard that was now lying on the floor, the pieces of which were angrily brandishing their fists at her — they were not happy that she had upturned their board and sent them crashing to the floor.

"Come on," Ron said, clapping Katie on the shoulder. "You should say goodbye."

They made their way down the rickety stairs in the Burrow and out into the overgrown garden. Over the hills, the sun was setting, bathing the front of the house in a gentle orange light and sending golden sunspots dancing across the pond that sat sparkling amidst the prolific grass. At the end of the short, winding gravel pathway that lead from wooden gate to the front door of the Burrow stood Christian Blair, his honey blonde curls ruffling gently in the warm evening breeze, and his best friend Niall Murray, whose sleek blonde hair was shining beneath the dazzling sun.

Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ginny and Hermione were gathered around the front door, seeking shelter from the setting but hot sun in the shade of a towering oak tree. It was evident that they had already said their goodbyes to Chris and Niall because they smiled and waved Katie towards the boys. Alone, she walked up the pathway as slowly as she could, not wanting her brother to leave after only two weeks of the summer holidays.

"Are you sure you're going to be OK?" Chris asked as she approached.

"Merlin, of course," Katie assured him. "You go have fun in Ireland."

Chris let out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. "I'm going to work in a bakery. It'll hardly be fun."

"Hey, you'll be working with your best friend and his dad, it won't be so bad."